Home > CIA reveals a sense of humour as spy agency takes to Twitter, Facebook

CIA reveals a sense of humour as spy agency takes to Twitter, Facebook

Sunday, 08 June, 2014, 5:45am

News›World

ESPIONAGE

Associated Press in Washington

For a spy agency that likes to blend into the background, the CIA's debut on Twitter has revealed a covert sense of humour.

In a medium heralded for its snide remarks, the Twittersphere gave high praise on Friday for the US intelligence agency's first tweet, under the handle @CIA.[1]

"We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet," posted @CIA.[1] Within an hour it had gained more than 67,000 followers. Last night that had soared to more than 360,000.

At first, it raised a question: was this really the Central Intelligence Agency? Since any number of fake CIA Twitter accounts have sprung up over the years, caution was in order. The agency quickly confirmed that it had, in fact, established a presence on both Twitter and Facebook.

The CIA got its @CIA[2] handle after filing a complaint with Twitter to wrest control from someone who was using it to impersonate the agency, said CIA spokesman Todd Ebit.

The agency's tagline reads: "We are the nation's first line of defence. We accomplish what others cannot accomplish and go where others cannot go."

On both accounts, the CIA promised "photos, reflections on intelligence history, and fun facts from the CIA World Factbook".

It also said it would release "updates on CIA career postings and get the latest glimpse into CIA's Museum", which is at the agency's headquarters in suburban Washington and not regularly open to the public.

By Friday afternoon, @CIA[2] was following only 25 Twitter accounts, prompting jokes about how the spy agency actually follows far more people around the world. "The CIA has followed people for years," tweeted Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to the US. "Now tweeple [sic] have a chance to follow CIA."

A torrent of political commentary followed, such as a mock CIA tweet from journalist Hayes Brown: "Remember that time Teddy Roosevelt's grandson helped us launch a coup in Iran?" Better get used to it, @CIA.[1]